ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Roger Attfield, who won last year’s $300,000 Canadian with Miss Keller, has a half-dozen nominees for this year’s running of the Grade 2 turf stakes for fillies and mares.

And while Attfield is not yet certain exactly of how many will represent the barn in the Canadian, which will be a supporting feature on the Sept. 18 Woodbine Mile card, he has earmarked Miss Keller and Mekong Melody as definite candidates.

Rahystrada, an earner of more than $850,000, and Rezif, the defending champion, were among the 10 older horses entered Wednesday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Kentucky Cup Turf, which will help to open the 2011 Kentucky Downs meet Saturday in Franklin, Ky.

Rahystrada, most recently fifth in the Arlington Million, was assigned post 6, while Rezif will start from the far outside post in the 1 1/2-mile KC Turf.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Ross McLeod, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, the parent company of Hastings, died on Monday. Great Canadian declined to release a cause of death for McLeod, 59.

McLeod founded Great Canadian in 1982. Under his leadership it grew from a company that operated temporary charity casinos at various locations in British Columbia to the largest casino company in the province, headed by their flagship River Rock casino in Richmond.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Mike Mitchell will send out his first-ever Canadian starter Sunday, when he runs Hurricane Lake in the Grade 3, $200,000 British Columbia Derby at Hastings.

Mitchell, who recently set a record for the most career wins at Del Mar, claimed Hurricane Lake for $50,000 out of a winning race at Del Mar on Aug. 6 for Vancouver resident Jeff Sengara. Mitchell said he would be at Hastings in time for the B.C. Derby dinner Thursday night, when post positions will be chosen.

The U.S. horse racing industry is stuck in a prolonged funk, but in Maryland, stakes races have been restored to the schedule and purses are up as Laurel Park prepares to open its 68-day meet Friday.

After a one-year hiatus, the $150,000 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash is back at Laurel, scheduled for Oct. 22. The six-furlong race, which was once one of the most important sprint stakes in the United States, will be run as an ungraded race this year for the first time since 1991. The race was first run in 1990.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Flying Arch, who came up short here in her last two appearances, may find her calling sprinting on the grass in Friday’s eighth race at Woodbine. The 6 1/2-furlong maiden special attracted many well-bred fillies who are at various stages of their career.

Initforreal will be shooting for her fourth straight win in a $10,000 claiming race that will serve as Friday’s feature at Northlands Park. The one-mile feature attracted six horses, and once again Initforreal figures to be right in the mix at the finish.

Langfuhr Max will be gunning for his third win in as many starts in the Prairie Lily Stakes at Marquis Downs on Friday evening.

The $15,000 Prairie Lily, a 6 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-olds who passed through the ring at the local yearling sale, will go as the third of eight races on the penultimate card of the 2011 meeting, and Langfuhr Max is the only winner in the field of nine.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Juveniles prepping for the $75,000 Ascot Graduation Oct. 1 will take center stage at Hastings Friday evening in the first race. The 6 1/2-furlong allowance prep to the 1 1/16-mile Ascot Graduation carries a $30,000 purse and attracted seven horses. Post time for the final Friday card this year is 7:15 p.m. Pacific.

Two men and a woman were arrested for burglary in a bizarre incident at Turf Paradise on Sunday morning.

Phoenix police were called by track security about an hour before the track opened for simulcast wagering as Turf Paradise is dark now.

The woman – reportedly five months pregnant – was discovered in the ceiling where she was tangled up in cords and wire and calling for help. She was allegedly trying to gain access to the money room, where she was then to open the door for two men.